


No Masters or Kings

by RoonilWazlibMalfoy



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Anal Sex, Family Dinners, Family Drama, Felching, Fluff, Harry Potter Epilogue What Epilogue | EWE, M/M, Minor Harry Potter/Ginny Weasley, Post-War, Rimming, Smoking, Spinner's End, The Burrow (Harry Potter)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-26
Updated: 2020-10-26
Packaged: 2021-03-08 20:13:26
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,539
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27212485
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RoonilWazlibMalfoy/pseuds/RoonilWazlibMalfoy
Summary: After the war, Percy Weasley felt lost until he helped to save a life. He had no way of knowing that the life he saved would become his whole world. He had done many things that he regretted, but falling in love would never be one of them.
Relationships: Severus Snape/Percy Weasley
Comments: 11
Kudos: 71





	No Masters or Kings

**Author's Note:**

> I was challenged to write a story about Percy giving Severus a lap dance. At that, I have failed miserably. There is no lap dance here, but there is some dancing and the sweetness of two awkward boys falling in love. 
> 
> This story is kind of based on Take Me To Church by Hozier, very loosely. 
> 
> There is a bit of Ginny bashing, but I wasn't sure if I should tag it because it isn't terribly heavy handed. She's just dealing with post-war emotional stuff and she doesn't handle it very well.

Percy looked fondly at Severus across the table at the Burrow. This was possibly the most awkward meal that he'd ever eaten but he couldn't help feeling a certain kind of dark giddiness as he looked at the dark haired man, as he looked at his lover. 

There was humour in Severus' dark eyes as he gazed back. He didn't need to use Legilimency to know what Percy was thinking: this awful situation was hilarious in a horrid kind of way. 

♤●♤●♤●♤

Immediately after the battle had ended, Percy had gone away from his family. He'd known that it was the wrong thing to do; they'd only just reconciled and his brother had just died, but he hadn't been able to kick the feeling that he didn't belong there. They had experienced things together through the war that he had been separate from. It wasn't a new feeling – he had always been separate from them in a way – but it was a lonely feeling nonetheless. 

He had walked down the trail to Hogsmeade, meandering slowly, when he heard a low rasping moan from the Shrieking Shack. The Shack was, of course, rumored to be haunted, but he had never heard a sound from it before. He hadn't sorted Gryffindor for nothing, in spite of what his family thought of him, so he had gone to investigate. He hadn't expected to find a bleeding Severus Snape there, but he never expected to fall in love either. He was coming to the realization that not everything could be planned and he was coming to accept that. 

After efficiently transporting Snape to St. Mungo's – he was a capable Ministry employee well-versed in proper protocols for everything, whatever else he might be – he had returned to his family, feeling more ready to face them after having saved a life. He hadn't been able to do much, but he had helped someone. He went back to them and he worked to repair his relationship with them over the coming weeks. It was good to be with his family where their clothes may be poor but their company was rich, the house may be shabby but the laughter and love was real and strong. It was good to be home. 

It didn't take long, though, before he was thinking about Snape, even as his family surrounded him. Harry had defended their old Potions professor vehemently, insisting that he had been on the side of the light all the time, and Percy found himself curious, especially as people argued with Harry about it. He certainly had no intention of arguing. First of all, he had failed to believe Harry once before and it had cost him far more than it had been worth, and secondly, he knew what Snape must feel like, being untrusted and alone. 

Visiting the man in St. Mungo's had been yet another bit of proof that he was, indeed, a Gryffindor. Even Harry had only visited once and had backed out quickly after Snape had thrown a bed-pan at him. Even while recovering from a grave injury, Severus Snape was still the same snarky abrasive man that he'd always been.

He hadn't been quite so vile to Percy as he had to Harry, though. He had eyed him warily, he had responded to him in short one-word answers spoken in a sharp, if rather hoarse, tone, but he had let him stay. The fact that he'd always followed the rules, unlike Harry, that he'd always been an attentive student, unlike Harry, and that he looked nothing like James Potter, unlike Harry, probably helped him on that front.

After that first visit, it had only gotten easier to be around Snape. He found himself opening up, telling the man all that he'd done during the war, all the mistakes that he'd made, all the ambitions and motivations that he'd had. Snape had listened carefully, sometimes offering scathing criticisms and sarcasm, sometimes offering surprisingly insightful advice and explanations for Percy's actions. He knew that he possessed a Gryffindor's boldness, but he began wondering if things would have gone better for him if he'd been in Slytherin where he could have cultivated his ambition. 

Or maybe he just wished that he'd gotten to know Snape sooner.

By the time that Severus, for he had become Severus to Percy by then, was released from St. Mungo's, they'd grown quite close. 

"This is my address," he had told Percy, handing him a bit of parchment. He stood there in his own black robes then, looking pale and small but strong. The scars were still visible on his throat and likely always would be, but his voice had smoothed out with the help of potions and a healer's expertise. "I would not be… opposed to you visiting me from time to time," he'd said, his tone guarded. "I shall not be returning to Hogwarts."

Percy had nodded and thanked him and then watched him go. He knew then that he was lost as he watched the man's graceful measured movements when he entered the Floo, but he didn't care. Severus Snape was everything that he hadn't known he needed in his life, snarky and forceful, yet somehow vulnerable. He was all hidden depths under a granite exterior and Percy longed to gently peel back that shell and crawl inside with the man.

It took only a few days for him to take Severus up on his offer to visit, and once he began, he couldn't seem to stop. Severus' home was small and shabby but that was nothing that Percy wasn't used to. It was full of books and sometimes the two just sat quietly reading until Percy realized that he'd be expected home and made a hasty goodbye. More importantly though, it was full of Severus. 

Somehow, though he was taller than Snape was, the man seemed to fill a room with his presence. He was sharp and compelling and funny, and Percy found that every moment not spent with him seemed to somehow be a moment wasted. He smelled of cloves and potions and magic, and Percy adored going back to the Burrow with that delightful scent clinging to his robes.

When it all came to a head, it happened so naturally that Percy wondered what he'd even been doing with his life up until that point. He had been Head Boy and he held a fairly prestigious position at the Ministry, but somehow it all paled in comparison to the feel of Severus Snape's mouth against his, those long graceful fingers pulling at his ginger hair. The Slytherin man was cautious and slow to act, but it seemed that once he decided what he wanted, he was as prone to boldness as any Gryffindor. 

Together, they were fire and ash, they were the first sweet drag of a hand-rolled cigarette. Together they were both poison and antidote. Percy positively worshipped Severus. While Muggles went to grand buildings with stained glass windows and flying buttresses, Percy Weasley went to a shabby little house in Cokeworth, knowing that he had more intensity, more passion, than they could dream of as they prayed to their gods. 

Of course, all good things are subject to change and their passionate solitude was one of those things. 

Everyone knew that Percy was seeing someone, and they wasted no time in teasing him over it. They never had done. He even welcomed it a bit, because it brought some of the light back into George's eyes and it was worth it for that, if nothing else. What they did not know was who he was seeing and he had no intention of sharing that information without Severus' explicit blessing. Harry may have defended Severus, ensuring that he did not go to Azkaban and, instead, received an Order of Merlin for his hard work during the war. But that did not mean they'd accept him as Percy's lover and Percy had no desire to bear their unacceptance of his choices without first knowing that he could retreat to the refuge of Spinner's End without reproach. 

Eventually, his mother caught wind of his having a paramour and, honestly, there was no one who could nag quite like Molly Weasley. He told Severus about all of it one lazy Sunday. They were laying in his bed, pale skin pressed against pale freckled skin. Severus was smoking, his head on Percy's shoulder. He reached over and held his cigarette to Percy's lips. He inhaled the smooth herbal smoke from between Severus' fingers, then breathed it out over their heads as Severus spoke.

"Do you think that them knowing would be worse than them guessing?" he asked softly. 

"Goodness, no," Percy answered, snorting. "They come up with the worst things they can think of."

Severus leaned up on his elbow then and looked down at Percy, his black hair hanging down around his face, his black eyes fathomless. "And you think that I am not the worst that they can come up with?" He smirked, one elegant eyebrow raised. 

Tilting his head to one side, Percy pretended to consider the question. "Oh, I don't know," he said thoughtfully. "You might be a little worse than Cornelius Fudge, but I don't think you're worse than Umbridge."

Blowing a final puff of smoke into the air around Percy's face, Severus leaned over him to crush out the cigarette in the ashtray on the nightstand. "Brat," he said dryly, then leaned down to press his lips against Percy's. 

Percy kissed him back hungrily, twining his fingers in long dark hair. The feeling of Severus' thin body pressed against his own, all ribs and sharp hip bones and pale, pale skin was intoxicating. "I don't know, Severus," he said as the man moved his mouth over Percy's jawline, down his freckled neck. "Imagine Cornelius Fudge in nothing but a strategically placed," he gasped as sharp teeth nipped at his collar bone, "lime green bowler hat."

Pulling back suddenly, Severus looked at him dryly. "Get out," he intoned as Percy laughed. 

He rolled out from under Severus and planted his feet on the floor, standing and looking for his clothes. "I should be going anyway," he said, not without regret. "Mum's been having these Sunday dinners and she'll send out a search party if I'm late."

Severus sat up and gazed at him from beneath hooded eyelids, a thin finger pressed to his lips. Ugly paisley-printed sheets pooled around his waist and Percy had never seen anything more lovely. "What if," Severus began slowly, "what if I came with you?" The corners of his mouth were tight as if he was afraid of rejection, his hooked nose slightly scrunched as if both acceptance and rejection were equally distasteful. 

Dropping back down into the bed, Percy crawled over to where Severus sat and nuzzled against his scarred throat. "Are you sure about that?" he murmured. "You have met the Weasleys, right?"

Severus caught his chin and gently guided his face up so that he was looking into those dark eyes. "I have," he said slowly. "And I'm certain that it shall be torturous. But I find myself rather fond of one Weasley in particular, so I suppose I can bear it." 

When they arrived at lunch that day, hand in hand, Percy could tell what his mother was thinking. He could see it clear as day in her brown eyes. She was warring with the fact that she'd just gotten him back, that she didn't want to lose him again after just losing one son permanently. She didn't want to lose him, but surprise and, perhaps, disapproval was written all over her face. Her cheeks went pink after a beat, then she shook her head slightly as if trying to clear her thoughts. 

"Oh, Percy, I'm glad you made it! Why didn't you tell us you were dating someone we all know already? How are you doing Severus, dear?" she spoke brightly as if her moment of shock had never happened. 

"Molly," he greeted her, his voice smooth. "My apologies for dropping in unannounced. Percy assured me it would be alright, but if you'd rather I go…" He gestured toward the door and she waved him off profusely. Percy was struck by the sudden realization that Severus and his mother were the same height and suppressed the urge to laugh.

"No, no, dear. You come right on in. Everyone else is already here and the food will be on the table shortly." She bustled back into the kitchen then, leaving Severus slightly pale and gripping Percy's hand rather tightly. 

Percy felt a bit uncomfortable himself, if he was being honest. He had never loved the lively bustle of their home quite as much as everyone else seemed to, and bringing one Severus Snape in to introduce him as his partner seemed a rather daunting task now that he was here. 

Still, bold as a Gryffindor, he marched in and did it anyway, holding Severus' hand just as firmly as his own was being held. Their reactions were, well, mostly better than he had expected at any rate.

His father and Bill both greeted them warmly and Harry smiled brightly. George's eyes grew wide with merriment when he realized that his teasing hadn't been so far off after all. Ron looked calculatingly at them, but he grunted a hello. And Ginny… well, Ginny's eyes spit fire and she jumped off of Harry's lap.

"What is he doing here?" she spat. "He has no right to be here!" Harry put a warning hand on her arm and she shook him off. 

"Well, Severus is here with me, of course," Percy said calmly, blinking at her unexpected vitriol after everyone else's calmness. He glanced over at Severus who nodded slightly, a blank expression on his face. "He's my partner. Erm. We are together."

Ginny's eyes narrowed in disgust, then she spun on her heels and stormed off. 

Harry stood and gave them an apologetic look before he followed her. "Sorry about her," he said. "I'm afraid that may be partially my fault."

Percy looked at Severus again in confusion, but Severus merely smirked and looked away. Percy wondered if he'd ever really understand anyone. He certainly didn't feel very discerning at that moment, but he shrugged it off, figuring he could take the time to ponder the vast spectrum of his family's reactions later. 

♤●♤●♤●♤

Thus began Severus and Percy's weekly appearances at the Burrow. It went more-or-less smoothly after that first time. Ginny continued to make snide comments and offer hate-filled glares at them every time she saw them, but everyone else adjusted quite reasonably, Percy thought. 

His mum had confronted him later, demanding he explain to her why he would be with someone so much older than him, someone with such a tainted history, but her face softened and her eyes grew misty as he explained all the things he loved about Severus. 

True, they hadn't said the words yet, and perhaps they never would. Severus was a very guarded person, after all. But as he told his mother about his sleek black hair and his graceful fingers, the depths of his eyes and the sound of his laugh and the incredible amount of intelligence in his mind, he knew that he felt it.

"Oh, Percy," his name bubbled out of her mouth as if she simply couldn't contain herself. "I'm glad you've found what it is that you needed. And I didn't mean to be skeptical, dear. It was just a bit of a shock."

Percy shifted sheepishly. "I am sorry for springing it all on you like that. He offered to come along and I couldn't just turn him down."

She patted his hand and smiled warmly. "Well, you wouldn't be a Weasley if you didn't act hastily sometimes."

Smiling, he thought about the way that all of his brothers had behaved at school. Utter buffoons, the lot of them. Then he recalled the way that he had, upon receiving his license, Apparated from room to room and he grinned. He really was one of them. 

"Ah," he said after thinking about his family for a moment, "what about Ginny?" He found himself a bit concerned and a bit baffled by her visceral reactions to him. Week after week, she spit her own brand of poison at both him and Severus and, while no one seemed to condone her behaviour, no one really called her out on it either. 

Molly got up to pour them both a fresh cuppa. "Oh, you know Ginny," she said as she flitted about in the kitchen. "She never liked him as a professor, of course – none of you did, really – but it's a bit more than that, now, I think. 

"Harry told her that he likes witches and wizards both, you know," she said, lowering two teacups to the table as she settled back down. Percy had known that. It hadn't meant much to him as he was the same, but he supposed he could see why it made Ginny feel insecure. 

He told his mum as much, adding, "I'm not precisely sure what that has to do with me though." It really didn't make much sense. 

"Oh that," Molly said, leaning toward him as she set her plump elbows on the table. "That last year at Hogwarts wasn't easy for her, you know. And I truly believe that your Severus tried to make things better, but she can't really see it that way. And then Harry told her he likes wizards and he was so set on making sure Severus was free… I think she got it in her head that Harry had a bit of a thing for the man."

Unable to stop it, Percy burst out laughing. He probably should feel jealousy or something. Ginny clearly did. But he just couldn't help picturing Severus' face if he ever heard all of this. He could see the man pinching the bridge of his nose, the downward tilt of his mouth, the look of exasperation in his eyes. Severus had told him one night, early on in their relationship, of his history with the Potters and he knew exactly what the man would think of the son of his old enemy and his old best friend lusting after him. There was nothing here to be jealous of. 

Molly laughed along with him for a moment and Percy felt free and happy beyond belief. The air smelled like freshly baked bread and roses, the war was over, the future was bright, and he was here enjoying himself with his mother. He was certain that Ginny would settle down soon and all would be well.

♤●♤●♤●♤

Ginny did not settle down soon, which led them to the current Sunday dinner, where Percy was feeling awkward and Severus was amused and they sat across from each other calmly while chaos raged around them. 

Everything had been fine at first. They had arrived as usual and everyone sat down to eat as usual. Harry was an Auror who was now working to arrest the remaining scattered Death Eaters and he began telling an amusing story about work as they ate.

"So then," he said, taking a sip of pumpkin juice, "he said 'I wasn't a Death Eater because I wanted to kill anyone, though! I'm just proud of my heritage. There's nothing wrong with that.' He honestly thought that made it okay," Harry chuckled. "I just don't understand these people."

"Well, sounds to me like even the bad guys know how to be loyal to their own," Ginny said coolly, gazing at Percy. 

He felt like the wind had been knocked out of him as he dropped his fork and looked awkwardly down at the table. It was true that he hadn't been loyal to them. It was the worst mistake of his life and he knew it. He had apologized to them profusely, and had done all that he could to repair their relationship, but nothing could change the fact that he hadn't been there when he should have been. She was right. He felt the toe of Severus' boot against his shin and knew that he should look up, but he couldn't.

"Gin," Harry said softly. "I really don't think that's necessary."

"Oh, sure. Defend the poofters," she muttered, stabbing her roast viciously with her fork. 

"Are you kidding me?" Harry snapped at the same moment that Molly exclaimed, "Ginevra Weasley!" in shock. 

"I didn't mean you, Harry. You're not like them," Ginny said. "At least you don't act on the unnatural urges you've got..." her voice trailed off in a low mutter. 

Percy did raise his head then, chancing a glance around the table through his horn-rimmed glasses. Harry was frozen, a look of rage on his face, and Molly was gaping, her fork held in midair between her plate and her mouth. Everyone around the table was in shock at the nastiness that had fallen so casually from Ginny's lips. 

And then Severus cleared his throat and Percy froze too, his eyes wide and fixed on his lover. Ginny may be able to spit poison on occasion, but Severus Snape was a potions master. Poison was a way of life for him. 

"Do go on, Ginevra. Don't keep us all waiting," he said slowly, his voice as smooth as silk. He paused for a moment, eyeing her like a snake eyes its prey. "I have little interest in lowering myself to the level of a child, but I fear that you won't understand me unless I do. Week after week, we've been coming here, hearing only drips and drabs of your true feelings, so please, do tell us how you really feel." He traced his bottom lip with one pale finger as he looked at her, his fingernail shining with obsidian polish. 

"Tell us quickly, now, Miss Weasley," he followed up after another pause. "Tell us as quickly and loudly as possible, that we might all hear. Grant us the blessing of your words and the toxic emotions behind them," he spat, his voice growing harsher with every syllable. "Because I can all but guarantee that you will find no support here and it is better to put this all behind us now. And then, Miss Weasley, as you move forward to drown in loneliness, we shall all rise to the surface. We shall grow and heal and thrive while you sit stagnant in darkness and despair." His voice lowered to a whispery hiss then, but he was easily heard all around the otherwise silent table. "And you may know that you deserve it, Miss Weasley. You deserve every ounce of it and more if this is the way that you treat your family."

He picked up his glass casually then and took a sip of juice as if nothing at all had happened. He looked at Percy with raised eyebrows, his black eyes glittering and Percy felt giddiness rise inside him. Yes, this was awkward but he wouldn't have traded it for anything in the world. No one had ever defended him like that before. Always, he had been the butt of their jokes. He had taken it in stride, he was confident and capable. But he couldn't find words to describe how delicious it felt to have Severus stand up for him, so eloquent and succinct. 

The more he thought about it, the longer he and Severus maintained eye contact, the funnier the situation got. Ginny had stormed off with hot tears in her brown eyes. Harry looked torn between following her and eating. Ron made a dumb joke and everyone laughed as if they were trying to clear the air. And Severus and Percy gazed at one another still. 

Finally Percy mouthed the words "Thank you" at Severus and watched as the corners of his thin lips turned upward, his black eyes glittering. He nodded very slightly and Percy felt warm inside. 

How could a man with such a cold exterior, such a dark past, such a black aesthetic, be the very sunshine that warmed him? At work, he was happy, and with his family he was at home, but with Severus he was in heaven and he wanted nothing more. 

It didn't take long for them to finish their meal and say their goodbyes. Everyone looked at them with understanding as they left much earlier than was typical. Molly hugged them both tightly and Harry came to offer his apologies for Ginny's behaviour. 

"Well, it isn't as though she were wrong about all of it," Percy laughed nervously. "She just didn't need to be such a bigot when she said it."

Running a hand through his wild hair, Harry said, "Yeah, Perce. She was wrong. Everything was so messed up back then. Believe me, I'd know." Green eyes met Percy's with a bright intensity and Percy wondered if maybe he did have something to be jealous of. He could imagine anyone falling for Harry Potter if given the opportunity. "We were all just doing what we thought was right at the time. It's over now and it's time to move on."

Percy couldn't help but wonder if he was talking about the war or Ginny or both. "Thank you, Harry. You've been better to me than I deserve. I do appreciate it," he said solemnly.

Harry smiled, dimples flashing beside a crooked grin. "Just take care of him, yeah? He did more than anyone. He deserves to be happy."

Percy smiled back at him. "I know."

♤●♤●♤●♤

When they arrived back at Snape's little house a few moments later, Severus fell back on the couch with a sigh and lit a cigarette. "I despise people like that!" he spat. "I realize she is your sister, but she's utterly horrid."

Percy sat down on the end of the couch and pulled Severus' feet into his lap, breathing in the calming scent of sweet herbal smoke. "You aren't wrong," he said, annoyed. "I find myself always waiting for the other shoe to drop where my family is concerned, so I expected her to be unforgiving. I never expected her to think us unnatural though. What would make her think that?"

Opening his eyes, Severus looked at Percy with surprise. "Many muggles feel that way about two men or two women being together," he said. "It is less common in our world, but it isn't unheard of. I would imagine that Ginevra is projecting her concerns for her own relationship onto us. And she may well have spent time among muggle-borns who have given her that kind of impression." He sighed deeply. "Merlin knows that anyone would be skeptical of pureblood ideals after the past few years, even the ideals that aren't so bad."

Percy thought for a moment, his forehead drawn and his hands absently rubbing Severus' socked feet. He hadn't known that muggles felt that way. Admittedly, there was much that he didn't understand about muggles, but he had never before had a negative impression of them. This knowledge made him question Severus' original motives for joining the Death Eaters, something he'd never stopped to consider before.

"You grew up with muggles, didn't you?" he asked tentatively.

Severus looked at him wearily and passed over the remainder of the cigarette. "My father was a muggle," he said softly. "He was a cruel nasty man – something I learned from him – and he is part of the reason. He hurt my mother and I hated him. I wished to never see someone like her under the power of someone like him ever again. It did not take long for me to realize that wizards are no less cruel when they wish to be."

Percy pushed his glasses up thoughtfully and took a drag, blowing out smoke before he asked, "That was only part of the reason?"

Sitting up, Severus pulled his feet away from Percy. His lap felt cold and bare. "You must understand what it was like at the time," he said, "what it was like for me. I was poor. This was my father's house and you see what it is like. I was poor and ugly and half-blood and Slytherin." Percy wanted to interrupt, to let Severus know that he had never been ugly, whatever else he may have been, but he stayed silent. This did not seem like the time for brash interruptions. 

"You know of my history with Harry's father and his friends already," Severus continued, "and you know that they preyed upon my every weakness. But Slytherin is a House of solidarity. We took care of our own, no matter what. So when I was with my housemates, I was safe and I was accepted. When I began to show some skill in potion-making and spell creation, Lucius Malfoy took me under his wing."

Severus chuckled darkly then. "I was blind, of course. Lucius was wealthy and well-loved. He was everything that I was not. I'd have followed him anywhere and I did so, though in the end it was to my detriment."

Crushing out the cigarette and sliding closer, Percy reached up and carded his hands through Severus' hair. "I understand, Severus," he said quietly. "I don't hold anything against you, of course. I was blinded by the promise of acceptance also, you know. I cast my lot with the wrong side too."

Severus turned to look at him, his dark eyes intense. "Yes, you did," he said softly. "And like me, you carry the burden of those youthful mistakes. A fine pair we are."

"I believe that we are," Percy replied. "Who else can understand you like I can? Who else would have known what I was thinking without me even speaking? Who else would defend me the way that you did today?" 

Just thinking of Severus' smooth sharp words to his sister made Percy's stomach flutter. He didn't think he'd ever witnessed anything so beautifully brilliant. He stood then and held a hand out. "Dance with me?"

Severus raised his eyebrows, his trademark smirk in place. "Very well," he said, taking Percy's hand. He flicked his wand and the record player began playing a gentle song. 

_ Don't go changing to try and please me, _

_ You never let me down before…" _

Percy wrapped his arms around Severus' narrow waist and pressed his cheek to his temple. He could feel the tension of such a stressful day drain out of him as he swayed back and forth, holding his beloved man in his arms. "What is this song?" he asked. It must be a muggle one, for he hadn't heard it before. 

Gently prying one of Percy's hands from his waist, he held it in his own long thin one. "Just the Way You Are," he murmured. "It seemed fitting."

Percy smiled softly against Severus' hair as he listened to the words. 

_ "I took the good times, I'll take the bad times,  _

_ I'll take you just the way you are." _

"I'm afraid he has that backwards, though," he said. "I certainly hope the good times are ahead of us. We've had enough bad times, I think."

Stretching to reach Percy's lips, Severus kissed him gently. "I believe that you're right," he said decisively. "But I find that I'll take whatever comes if only you are mine."

"I'll always be yours," he said simply. And that was the truth. He couldn't imagine ever wanting to be apart from Severus, no matter what was thrown at them. 

When the next kiss came, it was not gentle. Percy had to step back in order to not fall from the force of it and he didn't mind a bit. This was an aspect of Severus that no one else got to see, this fire, this passion. 

Slender hands tugged at his jumper and he stepped back to tear it over his head. His nipples pebbled in the cool air and he pulled Severus back to him, crushing their slim bodies together once more as the music played on. He slid his hands between them to unbutton Severus' shirt, reveling in the feeling of their bare skin pressed together. 

Their teeth knocked together as they kissed. Severus tangled his fingers in Percy's curly hair and pulled; it hurt in the most delicious way. He slid down Severus' body, his mouth trailing down over his neck, his chest, before he fell to his knees before the man. This was where he loved to be best. Severus needed no master; he had been through enough of that. He needed to be cared for and loved, he deserved to be worshipped, and Percy was happy to provide. 

Scrambling to undo Severus' trousers, he pressed his face against his wool-covered crotch, inhaling the scent of his lover as he fumbled with the buttons. Severus' hands stayed buried in his hair as he finally freed that glorious cock, long and pink and begging to be tasted. He wrapped his lips around it and ran his tongue over the slit, closing his eyes to savor the salty taste of pre-come. 

Inch by inch, he slid his mouth down Severus' cock until it hit the back of his throat, then he pulled back and repeated the process, wondering all the while how he could feel so pure, so sanctified, while doing something so filthy. Between the sound of Severus gasping above him, the feel of those nimble fingers in his hair, the weight of his cock on his tongue, and the press of his balls against his chin, Percy found his own trousers growing incredibly tight. He was tempted to simply vanish them, but didn't want to take his hands from those sharp glorious hips to do so. 

Suddenly, Severus' hands tightened in his hair, pulling him back. He dropped to his own knees in front of Percy, his open shirt hanging from his narrow shoulders. "I wasn't ready yet," he said softly, running his hand down Percy's cheek. Then, wrapping his hand around the back of his neck, he pulled him close and kissed him again, his tongue sliding smoothly against Percy's as if he were trying to taste himself there. 

His other arm wrapped around Percy's waist and he shifted them, turning Percy around so he was laid on his back on the floor before crawling on top of him. He kissed the corner of Percy's mouth and then his jawline; he trailed his tongue down Percy's neck and then his collarbone. His black-painted fingernails scratched down Percy's ribcage as he took a small, hard nipple between his lips and sucked on it. 

Shifting down further so that he was straddling Percy's thighs, he reached for the clasp of his trousers and deftly opened them up. Percy lay there, one arm behind his head watching Severus undress him. 

Once his trousers and pants were tossed aside, Severus lay back down over him, their lips meeting once more, their hard cocks pressed together. He could feel Severus' ribcage and hips digging into his body and wrapped an arm around him, cupping his bony arse and pressing them even more closely together. 

"What do you want, Severus?" Percy gasped. He was willing to do anything, everything, with Severus. 

He pulled back then, a wicked gleam in his eyes. Reaching behind him, he took Percy's hand in his and shifted it so that his fingertips sat between his arse cheeks. "I'm going to ride you," he said, his voice raspy with arousal, "unless you have some objection to that?"

"Merlin, no! I would never object to that," Percy said. "Can I taste you first?" He would probably be embarrassed by the desperate tone of his voice, turned on as he was, but at just that moment, all he could think of was the tight heat of Severus' arse.

Severus smirked and, before Percy could really register that his request was being granted, he had turned around and was lowering his arse to Percy's face. His cheeks were tantalizingly spread open in this position and Percy's mouth watered at the sight of that perfect pink opening between them. He grabbed Severus' hips and pulled him down, resting his balls against his chin as he pressed his lips against his hole, kissing and sucking until it opened up enough that he could stick the tip of his tongue inside.

He ran his tongue all around the puckered rim of Severus' arsehole, loving the noises the man made as he did so. He teased the little hole, flicking his tongue back and forth over it as Severus rocked against his face. Thrusting his tongue in as far as he could, he tasted and probed that most private of places. 

While he was feasting on Severus' arse, Severus was pinching his nipples, rolling them between his fingers and sending little jolts to his throbbing cock. He was certain that his nipples would be puffy and sensitive after so much attention and he found he rather looked forward to the sensation of feeling his shirt rubbing his sore nipples while he was at work tomorrow. It would be a delightful physical reminder of this beautiful moment.

He wasn't sure how much time passed while he had his mouth on Severus' arse, but it seemed like too little. He'd have been happy to have Severus sitting on his face for days. As he pulled away, twisting his body back around, Percy admired the sharp lines of his body, the fluid way that he moved as he straddled Percy's hips once again, a dark pleased look on his angular face. 

Reaching behind him, Severus lined his warm wet hole up with Percy's cock and slowly lowered himself down. Percy wasted no time in reaching out and gripping Severus' member in his hand, stroking him firmly as Severus rode him. 

There was no question of when Severus found the precise angle that he wanted; he let out a small choked cry as the tip of Percy's cock brushed the little bundle of nerves inside his body. His movements grew quicker then and Percy found himself fighting to stay focused. He wanted to lose himself to the perfect sensation of being buried inside his lover, but he didn't want to miss the moment of Severus' release. He wanted to watch as spurts of hot white fluid spilled out of him and onto Percy. 

He didn't need to wait for long. Once Severus had found his rhythm, he went for it, pouring every ounce of passion into the task at hand. His fingers twisted in Percy's sparse chest hair, his dark hair swung wildly about his face. And then he stilled with a moan, his balls drawn up tightly, and Percy was treated to one of his favourite things: Severus' come shooting into his body as his arse squeezed his cock hard as if it were trying to milk Percy's orgasm from him. 

It worked. As Percy let go of Severus' oversensitive cock, he trailed his fingers through the come on his belly and put them in his mouth, sucking and savoring the bitter taste. The sight of Severus above him, the taste of his come, the hard squeeze of his arse around his cock all proved to be too much. He thrust hard up into Severus and spilled his own release until that tight perfect hole. 

Severus lay down, exhausted, on Percy, burying his face against his throat as Percy ran his hands up and down Severus' smooth back. 

"Would you like me to eat you out some more?" Percy asked after a moment. 

Severus raised his head and looked down at Percy, smirking. "You, Percy Weasley, are insatiable," he said in a husky voice.

"That wasn't a no, though," Percy replied cheekily. 

"Touchè," he said. "Just don't expect me to do anything. I'm an old man and I'm tired."

"Oh, I wouldn't dream of it, Severus," Percy laughed as he rolled them over, gently laying Severus' head on the rug. "No funny business from me. Just some good clean arse licking."

Severus chuckled as Percy draped his legs over his shoulders, sucking in a breath at the delightful way his hole clenched as he laughed. 

His perfect hole was looser now, more pliable, and just as tasty as ever. Percy pulled his cheeks apart gently, opening him up and loving the sight of his come oozing out. He licked a stripe up Severus' arse crack, from his hole to his balls, tasting his own bitter seed mingled with the musky taste of Severus' skin. He drove his tongue in as far as he could, drinking in the taste. 

Licking and sucking his fill, he watched as Severus' cock twitched and then slowly hardened before his eyes. He replaced his tongue in Severus' loose wet arsehole with a couple of fingers and put his mouth on the man's balls then, softly drawing one then the other into his mouth.

When Severus' cock was hard once more, he crawled up the body of his pale lean lover and pressed the length of their bodies together once more. Bracing himself on one elbow, he reached between them and wrapped his fingers around both of their cocks at once, loving the feeling of them sliding together so intimately. Slowly, he stroked them, all the while peppering soft kisses on Severus' thin lips, on his sharp cheekbones, on his smooth jawline. 

After both men had come again, nearly at the same moment, he rolled off of Severus and, quickly casting a cleansing charm over both of them, lay his head on Severus' shoulder and wrapped his body around Severus' smaller one. 

They napped then, their limbs tangled together on the floor of the faded old house in Cokeworth, unbothered by their nudity or their pasts or any amount of family drama. There was nothing to be bothered by, not really. Those things would always be present, no matter what, but together they possessed so much more than the sum of their problems. 

♤●♤●♤●♤

When Percy awoke a couple of hours later, it was to a rich garlicky smell emanating from the kitchen. He grabbed a cigarette from the coffee table and lit it before going to investigate, grateful for the way Severus' cooking always seemed to warm the small house up. 

Standing in the doorway of the kitchen, he watched Severus cooking for a moment, still naked aside from a blue floral-printed apron that he'd tied around his body. He was just as focused and meticulous when he cooked as he was when he brewed potions. 

"It's garlic Alfredo shrimp," he said, not looking up from what he was doing. The corners of his mouth twitched in amusement. "Perhaps you'll be less insatiable if we both smell bad."

Walking into the kitchen, Percy wrapped his arms around Severus from behind, holding his cigarette to the man's lips so he could take a drag before he vanished it. He loved the feeling of their naked bodies against one another in such a domestic setting; it was not so much arousing as it was intimate. He felt as if he truly belonged.

"But Severus," he joked, "if we both stink, then there's not a problem. We'll just stink together."

Severus jersey his body to lightly shove Percy away from him. "Brat," he said affectionately. "I suppose I shall just have to get used to being molested all the time."

"You are the one cooking starkers though," Percy replied in a reasonable tone. "But I suppose I can go if you're really bothered." 

Severus did stop at that. He spun around, something indefinable flashing in his dark eyes. Wrapping his hands around Percy's wrists he said, "Don't even think of it, Percy Weasley." He pressed a firm kiss to Percy's lips. "Throughout the past few years – more years than I like to admit – I have barely felt human. That only changed when one insufferable red-head barged his way into my life. I think that I shall keep you."

Percy grinned and raised Severus' hands to his face, kissing each potion-stained fingertip. "Alright," he agreed. "I'll stay from now until you make me leave."

Severus raised his head haughtily. "On second thought, perhaps you should go," he said, smirking when Percy's face fell. "You should go and get your things. All of them. If you are staying until I make you leave, I imagine that you'll be here for the foreseeable future."

All the breath left Percy's lungs in a whoosh and his heart thudded heavily in his chest. Severus wanted him, truly, for good, and there was nothing he desired more. He wrapped his arms around Severus' waist and held him tightly, burying his nose against the man's dark hair. Having known everybody's disapproval, he could imagine no sweeter command than the one he'd just been given by the man he loved so deeply. 

"Okay," he whispered. There was no need for any further exchange of words. Percy pulled away from him, knowing that he'd be returning very soon, knowing that he was giving himself, his heart, his life, to Severus Snape, and that Severus was giving his own in return. 


End file.
